Pride of a son
by Ligthingtooth
Summary: Lighting's son wanders alone in a earth city, and finds himself cornered by a group a dogs. can he fight his way out of it or will he remain lost to his father? this is a short secouel to my fic hunters prey and telles the story of Lighting's son Fang
1. Chapter 1

Jumping to his feet as a loud crash woke him up, the young wolf cub looked out from the box he had been hiding in the night before. There seemed to be nothing strange in the ally he was in when a new sound made him jump.

"You sure are a jumpy fellow." A voice called, he jumped around snaring towards the voice. A crow were sitting on the fence over him.

"No need to be angry. You cant catch me even if I was your enemy. Besides you should be more worried about him." The crow said and pointed with his wing to some trash cans. In one of them a big grey cat were looking at the cub with angry yellow eyes. The cub jumped a bit as he realised what the sounds had been.

"Mrrr, why are you in my home? This is my ally!" The cat jumped down from the can and came towards him. The cub moved out of the box knowing that he would have to fight.

"I did not know it was your place, I just needed a place to stay for the night and out of the rain." He said as he stood still again. The cat were as big as the cub and grey fur glimmered in the morning light with many battle scars in his shabby coat. The wolf cubs midnight black fur with lighter black areas on his underside made him look like a part of the alleys shadows.. A cut on his right shoulder had been bleeding badly.

"Wow, hey! You don't intend to fight him in your shape, do you?" The crow called out as he suddenly saw the wound. The cub snared to himself.

"Like I would back down now.." He growled low in response. The cat grinned.

"You got guts, kid, I'll give you that." He purred and moved back to his trash.

"I'll let you go this time for your courage." The cub looked confused but decided it was not worth it and started to move out of the ally. The crow took of and stayed just a few feet above him.

"Hey, kid, what's your name? How did you get hurt like that? It does not look like a battle wound." The crow asked. The cub did not answerer but kept his eyes on the road. He walked slowly as the wound hurt his walking and he stayed close to the walls as he would not get noticed by the humans. Even as the sun had just risen there were a few people out already.

"Hey, do you even have a name, kid?" The crow said. The cub stopped and the crow landed on a sign.

"I have a name, but not one I deserve." He said looking down in the pavement. The crow looked at him curious.

"I don't even deserve to be my fathers son... I failed them... I failed him." The cubs eyes were sad and shameful and he did not meet the crows eyes. The crow were about to ask the cub about something when the cub started to walk again. The crow took of again and stayed close to the cub. The cub suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. The crow heard a sound coming from the cubs stomach.

"Sounds like you are hungry." The crow grinned. The cub nodded slowly.

"Have not eaten for three days." He said and moved on. Coming around a corner he stopped as he saw a hot dog stand. He stopped and looked at it wondering how he could get some hot dogs of him.

"Forget it, kid. No one has ever gotten away with stealing from him. Some even say that he makes his hot dogs out of those who have tried." The crow said as he landed on a fence looking at the stand. The cub grinned feeling the challenge. He watched the man for a long time noticing his moves. He waited for the chance to strike, showing of the cleverness his father and mother were renown for. As a young lady come over to the hot dog stand, he moved up next to them. As the man could not see him the cub moved up to the side and carefully opening the lid on the side. The crow jumped back and forwards on the fence he sat on, cawing in excitement. The man looked at the crow before he looked down and saw the cub pulling out a strain of hot dogs.

"Hey! Blasted mutt! Get away!" He called kicking after the cub. The cub moved back still holding on to the hot dogs. The man grabbed the strain and pulled it back. Grabbing the knife with his left hand, he waved it towards the cub. The cub had to let go of his prey to save his life and ran away angry at himself for failing to get the food.

"What are you doing? The poor animal!" The lady said as she saw this.

"If that is how you treat animals you can do it else were, I do not want you hot dogs any more as I do not know what meat you have put in them. Good bye!" She said turning on her heel and left.

The cub stopped a few blocks away, gasping for air. His wound hurt like hell as it was bleeding again.

"You are amazing, kid. No one has ever gotten that close before." The crow said as he landed not to far from the cub.

"I would have made it too if someone had not made him notice." The cub growled as his hunger was still screaming.

"Sorry, I just got so exited." The crow suddenly looked shameful. The cub had to smile seeing that.

"Any way I still need to find some food." He said and started to move down the street again. His wound hurt, making his progress slow.

"My name is Crow Beak, but just call me Beak." The crow said flying over the cub again. The cub looked up and smiled.

"I guess I was not the only one with a strange name. My humans named me Wolf, as they though I was a dog that looked like a wolf." The cub looked sad again thinking about it.

"But like I said I don't even deserve a name like that." He said low to himself as he moved on. Beak noticed that he would not talk any more of it.

---------------------

Wolf came to the park as the crow lead the way, promising him that he would find food there. There were few people around so early in the morning, there where quite a few doves, crows and small birds jumping around. As Wolf moved over to a trash can smelling the left overs of a still hot burger, he heard his crow friend gathering some of his friends and started to tell about the cub and his near success to getting the hot dogs. Wolf did not care even as he heard some of them refusing to believe the story. He kept looking around as he was still hungry. Suddenly most of the birds took of screaming.

"Fly! Fly!" They screamed as most of the packs of birds took of. Two large Doberman dogs came running towards them, jumping as they grabbed the fleeing birds. Wolf growled to himself seeing them just kill for sport. He moved back out of their way but showed no fear. The two dogs were quickly followed by three more and a human. The human sat down on a bench, two of the dogs layed down next to him and the three others were playing with their kills. The five dogs looked all the same except for the collars around their necks. The birds sat in the trees looking down at them, not even one of them daring to make a sound. Wolf did not look at them but moved over other trash cans to see if there was more food there.

"Kid! Hey, kid!" His crow friend called out as quietly as he could.

"Don't move! Hide! Or they'll kill you!" Beak called from his tree. The cub looked up at the crow but showed no reactions to the bird's warring.

"Hey, kid!" A new voice called, a strong and threatening voice. "Are you hungry? Eat this then, it's good." The voice said and a dead dove landed by the cubs feet. The cub looked at it before looking up at the voice's owner. One of the Dobermans had stepped up to him. He had a red collar around his neck. The other two were standing behind him grinning. One of them had a green collar and the other one a yellow collar. Wolf looked back down at the dove.

"I will not take what a coward killed for fun." He said and looked back at the dog. The dog looked at him confused not sure on what to say.

"Hey kid, you should thank us instead, as you look in no shape to get your own kills." The green collared dog said. The red collard one snared.

"Yeah, you should not talk so big, to some one much stronger than you." He growled.

"Is this how you show your strength? By killing small birds?" Wolf asked not showing any sign of fear. The two other dogs seemed confused at the cubs courage, but the red collared dog got angry.

"I'll show you how I show my strength!" He said and snapped out after Wolf. Wolf moved back quickly and got out of harms way but as he did so his wound burned in pain.

"Ruby." One of the dogs that were lying next their master stood up and looked at them. A white collar around his neck shined up in the dark fur. The red collared dog turned towards the white one.

"Remember that our master has not yet said that you can waste your time on this cub." The white collared dog said. The red collared dog named Ruby looked at him before he turned his look over to the human. Wolf realised that it would be the humans decision if he was to live or not. He snared to himself finding himself in trouble. The human nodded to his three dogs. Ruby's face shined up as he turned to the cub again.

"Looks like I'll get to play with you some more then." Ruby said grinning as he made two steps towards him. Wolf snared and got ready to fight for his life.

"Emerald, Gold, stay out of this, this one is all mine." Ruby said to his brothers, as the two other dogs moved around Wolf.

"It only fair to warn you. Me and my brothers are all professional fighters. We earn our keep by killing others." Ruby grinned. "You should not have been so quick to call me a coward. You'll pay for those words." The Doberman said and jumped towards Wolf. Wolf moved out of the way and got up on the side of the dog. He used his speed and fangs, and cut a wound on the dogs side. As Ruby screamed out, Wolf landed behind him and turned around once again.

Gold and Emerald gasped seeing their brother be hurt, as they had thought of this fight as easy. The two other dogs, the white collared one and the grey coloured one had stood up and looked at the fight with interest.

Ruby jumped around looking at the young cub with hate in his eyes. His teeth bared and his fur standing. Wolf looked back at him, and got ready to move again. As the large dog jumped forward Wolf moved forward as well sliding under the dog. As Ruby landed where Wolf had been Wolf were now standing behind him. Even as Wolf had hurt the grown dog, he knew that all he really could do in this unfair fight, was to dodge the attacks and hope to tire the angry dog. But as his wound hurt like hell again he knew that he would not keep this up long, himself. Ruby attacked again and this time Wolf jumped strait at him. Using his front paws to land on the grown dogs head and then kicked himself of him. Ruby stopped suddenly as Wolf did this and shook his head as he growled.

"Stand still you little pest, so I can kill you!" He growled and jumped after Wolf again. Wolf moved out of the way and jumped up biting the dogs neck. Knowing better than to hang on, he let go as the dog started to jump around to get hold of him. He landed and turned towards the dog again, snaring. His blood boiled, and he showed both the courage, strength and cleverness he had gotten from his parents. He did not, even now as he was still in danger, show or even feel any fear.

"Gold, Emerald, grab him." Ruby suddenly said with a terrible shine in his eyes. Wolf jumped out of the way from Emerald, as the green collared dog tried to grab him and slided past Gold, the yellow collared dog. Ruby stood still and grinned as Wolf suddenly had his paws full trying to avoid the two dogs.

_Bastard, he could not finish the job on his own so he makes his brothers do it for him. He is the worse type of coward, I have met. _Wolf growled to himself seeing the dog's grin. He could feel his blood burned with hate, as his parents had no tolerance for cowards, and that had been passed on to him as well. Jumping away from a new attack from Emerald he jumped up in Gold's face and cut a wound over his cheek. Gold backed of screaming and Wolf landed not to far from him.

"Bastard!" Gold called and snapped after him again. Wolf avoided the attack but as he did, his shoulder screamed out in pain and gave in for a few seconds. Losing his balance Wolf landed on his side, with a loud whine. Emerald was quickly up next to him and grabbed Wolf by his neck. Lifting the cub up as Gold come up and took hold of the cubs hip with his fangs. Their fangs dug down in Wolf's flesh and Wolf struggled in their grip trying to get free, but there was nothing he could do.

"Finally! Now I can kill you in peace." Ruby said coming up to Wolf. Wolf snared and flashed his fangs.

"You coward! You will never get away with this. My father and mother will hunt you to the ends of the universe for killing their only cub." Wolf growled feeling his hate burning like a wild fire inside him.

"And who may your parents be then so that I can give them your regards as I kill them as well?" Ruby grinned, meting his brothers eyes.

"Lightingtooth, Harlock's protector and Angel, Queen Emeraldas guardian." Wolf growled angry, yet he had to smile faintly as he noticed Ruby seemed to pale a little hearing those names. He looked at his brothers realising that the cub did look a lot like the most notorious wolf in the universe. He looked quickly at his oldest brother, the white collared dog.

"Brother? What do you think?" Ruby asked looking at his brother. The white collared dog looked at him with ice cold eyes.

"If he truly is the great pirates wolf's son then we have to fight him any way as you have already attacked him." The older dog said smiling to himself. Ruby shined up and turned to Wolf again.

"Yes, now were was I? Oh yes, I was about to pull your guts out." Ruby said and dug his fangs into Wolf's bared stomach. Wolf growled in pain as it hurt like hell but he would not scream out. His vision became blurry and red dots were flashing in front his his eyes. Closing his eyes in pain, he could not help but see his life pass before his inner eye.

He saw the day his father had took him to a human hose and asked him to keep the family safe from harm. Feeling the responsibly, Wolf had been picked up by the family's ten-year old girl. She had begged her parents to keep the cub and in the end she won, even as her mother was allergic to the wolf fur. The father in the house had made a dog house out in the garden were he was tided up. He had been happy there as the young girl always came home to play with him everyday after school. During the nights when she had a nightmare, she used to sneak out and slept in the dog house with Wolf. She was the one that named him Wolf, a name he had been proud of until this one night, three days ago, where as usual the girl were sleeping this dog house with him. He had heard some strange sounds coming from the front door. Carefully he moved out of the dog house and listened to the sound. He got a really bad feeling from it and stared to bark to warn his master. He barked until he saw the light in the bed room came on and he heard someone move downstairs. Suddenly there was a sound he would never forget as there were the sound of a laser shot, the thump sound that followed made Wolf jump in his chain pulling as hard as he could to get free. He suddenly heard a new shot, this time coming from the house. As the last sound silenced, he suddenly jumped as hard as he could and pulled the collar strait of. Running around the corner, he found the father in the house laying in the door opening dead, his glassy eyes looking strait at him. Wolf backed up not really knowing what to do, when he suddenly heard someone come down the stairs. As the two masked men saw Wolf, they looked at each other for a long time, no one moving at all, when suddenly the girl came around the corner and screamed out as she saw her dad. The man pointed the gun towards her. Wolf were suddenly moving, jumping towards the man.

"Stop it!" He screamed as loud as he could, then the gun went of. As burning pain hit him in his right shoulder, he fell the the ground howling in pain. He lifted his head just to see the laser bullet that had cut him hitting the young girl in the chest. She fell to the ground not moving, as the darkness came over Wolf and he passed out. Waking up to see his family dead, he went in a shock and ran away from the house, first thinking only to find his dad, but as the shock wore of he felt ashamed to have not only failed to protect them but also had ran away. He could not go back there and he could not go back to his father.

As a new wave of pain passed through him, he came back to the reality as Ruby started to pull.

"Stop it! Stop it! Leave him alone!" Wolf suddenly heard Crow Beak scream. He opened his eyes to see the crow fly down at the dogs, trying to help him.

"Beak..." He gasped in pain.

"Silver! Get rid of this damn bird!" Gold called out between his teeth. The grey collared dog came running towards them and jumped after Beak. The poor bird started to make a lot of sounds as he screamed and basked around.

"Are you watching kid? This is the end for you!" Ruby called and pulled Wolf's stomach as he tried to pull him apart, as his brothers held him tight and pulled as well. Wolf could not hold it back any more.

"DAD!" He screamed in pain.

Suddenly a black shadow came out from nowhere and struck Ruby. Ruby screamed out in pain as a deep cut showed itself on his back. The shadow did not stop and moved around striking both Emerald and Gold. The two dogs screamed out and let go of Wolf , as a deep cut show itself on both of them. The shadow stopped and stood over the hurt cub. Wolf looked up at the shadow standing over him. Midnight black fur with light black areas, a collar around his neck with a skull and cross bones medallion hanging down from it. The wolf turned his look down once and met the cubs eyes. A white scar shined up in his back fur, crossing his face in a strait line, from over his right eye to under his left. His dark blue eyes shined kindly as it seemed he was relived.

"Dad..." Wolf choked out in pain. His fathers eyes changing from relived to worry.

"Relax, I'm here." He said and pushed his nose to his sons neck. Feeling the the warmth from his father he felt safe and his fear went away. Still his back felt like it was broken on two places, his neck and hip. The wound that really bothered him was the wound on his stomach as it felt like he had been torn asunder.

Ruby suddenly stepped up to them. The black wolf turning his look up at him and his dark blue eyes glowed in hate.

"You coward! To attack a cub... and not just any cub, but my son!" The black wolf snared as he made to steps closer to the dog. Ruby, that first had planed to attack the wolf, suddenly found himself backing up from the angry father. The white collared dog stepped in front of his brother and stood meting the wolf eye to eye.

"As long as our master does not give the word, we are not to attack, you know that Ruby." The white collared dog said not taking his eyes of the wolf. Ruby looked at the black wolf, feeling his legs shake of fear.

"As long as your human says so?" The wolf suddenly grinned. "Lets see what he says to attacking me then?" He smiled and turned his look over to the man. He had jumped behind the bench and looked at the wolf with fear in his eyes.

"That's... Lightingtooth... Harlock's companion... Where he is the captain can not be to far off." The man said looking around. Lighting grinned and backed up standing over his son again.

"You should back down while I'm still in a good mood." He said and looked at the white collared dog. The four others were growling not ready to give up on a prey like this.

The white one looked around.

"I do not see, or for that matter smell any sent of this master of yours. That lead me to believe that you are here alone. I am not gonna back down on a chance to fight the most known wolf in this universe." He said as his look came to a stop meting Lighting's eyes. Lighting shook his head.

"You can't do any thing without our masters approval." He said and looked at the dog, his eyes hard as ice. The white one looked over to his master and barked two times. The man looked around and came to the same conclusion as his dog had.

"Wait, this could be my big chance to show that my dogs are the best fighters in the universe. If they defeat Lightingtooth no one can say that they are not the best fighters. This is the perfect opportunity as it seems that Harlock is not around." The man grinned and stood up.

"Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Gold, Silver, attack!" He called to his dogs. The four others growled happy as they had been given the permission to attack. The white collared one, named Diamond grinned and moved towards Lighting.

"Don't, for your own sake, don't." Lightingtooth said looking at the Doberman.

Diamond grinned and kept going towards him.

"Dad.." Wolf whined seeing that he had put his father in danger. The old wolf smiled and looked quickly down at his son.

"You should be more worried for them." He said as his eyes turned around looking at the three dogs he could see, knowing that the other two were closing in his back. He jumped suddenly out of their ring and landed behind Gold and Silver that had been behind him. Not wasting a second, he cut two cuts on them and moved on. Running strait at Ruby, that had no chance to avoid the attack, and got slammed to the ground as Lighting used him as a leap board to get to Diamond. Slamming in to the dog Lighting sank his fangs down on the dogs neck and used Diamond as a shield as he slammed the dog into Emerald that were next to him. Lighting jumped of Diamond and landed standing over his son again. The owner of the dogs gasped as the wolf had taken out all the five dogs, all in just a few seconds. The dogs got up and snared. Lighting smiled as this were no challenge to him at all.

"The star." Diamond said and looked at his brothers. Lighting's eyes narrowed as he noticed that the dogs seemed to move in a pattern now. Suddenly Gold, Emerald and Silver was moving, jumping towards the wolf. Lighting moved back a little and avoided the dogs with ease. Now Diamond came in as well and they tried to get close the wolf and get hold of him.

When suddenly Wolf screamed out in pain as Ruby had grabbed the cub by the neck and lifted him up. He had his fangs deep down in Wolf's wound on his neck. He grinned as he saw that Lighting had stopped and looked at him. But he let go of Wolf as he saw the dark look in the dark blue eyes. Lighting did not usably lose his temper unless you threaten his family, clan or his master. Only then could one see what happened now. Lighting's eyes glowed in hate, his black fur stood up at his back and his white fangs shined dangerous as a loud growl rose from the throat. Before the other dogs could even react Lighting was moving towards the dog. He looked like a black line, as he moved strait at the dog before Ruby could react, Lighting sunk his fangs down in his neck and pushed the dog in the ground. Ruby struggled in his grip as the wolf were killing him by choking him. Lighting snared, his hate burned like a fire out of control. Wolf lay under his father's covering body, but worried as his father had seemed to lose it.

Suddenly Lighting growled in pain as Gold and Silver had bit hold of his back legs and held him tight. Letting go of Ruby, he tried to turn around and get hold of the other dogs, as Emerald bit hold of Lighting's right front paw and pinned him. Ruby was quickly up and took hold of Lighting's left. As the four dogs held him in place Emerald and Ruby pulled back so Lighting could not get hold of them.

_Shit they have done this move before. I cant even move._ Lighting snared to himself as his anger cooled of and he tried to twist his brain to get out of this pin.

"There, the five pointed star always works. Now shall I cut your thought quickly or shall I take my time and choke you slowly?" Diamond said as he came up to him. Lighting snared and was gonna say something when Ruby twisted his grip around his leg making the wolf cringe and blotting his bare throat to the dog. Diamond jumped for it and sunk his fangs down in the soft flesh. Lighting closed his eyes as the pain became apparent and growled to himself. Being pinned down like this and then killed of like a rat angered him but he would not get free for the four dogs grip.

"No preferable way of dyeing? Well I'll choke you then, as you did a really good job on my brothers. Suffer and regret ever coming back to earth. You should have stayed in the stars." Diamond snared and tighten the grip, slowly suffocating the grown wolf.

"Coward! I wont let you kill my dad like this." Wolf suddenly cried out and pulled his badly wounded body up and jumped at Ruby from under his father. Biting down over ruby's nose, not letting go as Ruby screamed out and let go of Lighting's leg. He threw his head around trying to get the cub of his nose. Lighting, not wasting the break his son had given him, struck out with his left leg hitting Diamond in the chest and forcing him to let go as Diamond got the wind knocked out of him. Lighting swung around grabbing Emerald by the neck and threw him of him and used Emerald to knock down Ruby as well. But as he did this Emerald did not let go of the leg with out tearing a deep wound on it, making it hard for Lighting to put weigh on it. Still he threw himself around forcing Gold and Silver to let go and cut them with his fangs again. Casting one quick look to his son that lay still on the ground but looked back at him, Lighting smiled and turned to Diamond that had stood back up. As Diamond jumped towards Lighting, he stood his ground and used his fangs. Diamond landed behind him and for a few seconds it seemed like both of them stood still before a small cut showed up on Lighting's cheek and Diamond sank down.

"Brother!"

"Brother, are you hurt?" The dogs called running over to the dog. Lighting moved over to his son and stood over him again, ready to defend his son.

Diamond had his back turned on the wolfs and as he turned his head you could see Lighting's last attack had made a deep cut over the dogs right eye. The blood were dripping. The other dogs gasped. Diamond looked at Lighting not saying anything.

"How dare you do this to, brother! I'll kill you!" Ruby called as he stared to run.

"Ruby! Stop!" Diamond called. The other dogs looked at him. Ruby turned to his older brother.

"We have already lost. We don't need to lose our lifes as well." Diamond said and looked at Lighting. Lighting smiled. Wolf lay under him and looked at the dog confused. Ruby looked at his brother.

"But we never lose... We have not yet lost." He said and turned to Lighting again.

"We have lost, now all we can do is go back home and train to the next time we met." He said and looked back at Lighting

"Believe me, this fight is not over yet." He said. Lighting nodded.

"I'll be waiting." He said before truing his look over to their master.

"_If I ever see you give the order to attack an innocent animal again, I will hunt you down and if you ever come close to my son again I'll rip you apart!"_ Lighting sent in mind speak to the man. The man backed up and nodded scared.

"Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Gold, Silver, let... Lets go." The man called and nearly ran down the road. The dogs looked at Lighting, promising to them self to pay him back, before following their master, limping as Lighting had not spared anyone from numerous wounds.

Lighting looked down on his son.

"Are you okay?" He asked worried looking at the wounds, he feared the worse.

"I..." Wolf stared to say as he tried to stand up, but the pain made him give up.

"Rest easy, son. Go to sleep, I'll take you on board the Arcadia. You'll be safe there." He said. Wolf was gonna protest but his body gave in and he passed out.

"Is he gonna be okay?" A voice said as a crow landed next to the black wolf as he licked over the wounds.

"I have to get him to doctor Zero as quickly as possible. Only then time will tell." Lighting sighed

"But he is your son, there is now way he'll give up." The crow said looking at his new friend with worry in his golden eyes.

"Yeah, lets hope so, and thank you." The old wolf said and looked at the crow. The crow looked up at the notorious wolf and wondered why he would thank him a simple crow.

"If you had not tried to intervene when they were killing him and had made as much sound as you did, I would have not found him and would have been to late to save him. That were a really brave thing you did." The wolf looked at him with gratitude in his eyes. The crow seemed to blush.

"Oh that. That was nothing." Lighting smiled as the crow said this. He looked down at his son again and carefully took his teeth around the young cubs back. He would have usably carried him by the neck fur but as his son had a deep wound over his neck, Lighting desisted to carry him like that. Still he could have been carrying an egg and it would not have been broken, that were how careful he was holding his son.

"Great Lightingtooth sir, when he awakens tell him that Crow Beak sends his regards and tell him that he is got to stay out of trouble." The crow said as he took of. Lighting nodded carefully and moved down in a forest area of the park.

"_Angel, I found him. He is badly hurt, but he is alive."_ He sent out to his life and soul mate. On a ship far away from the earth, a soul sighed relived.


	2. Chapter 2

As Lighting used his time gate to get back to the Arcadia, he carefully held his wounded cub in his teeth. As he came out he had ended up not to far form the sick bay and was happy for it. Lighting was walking slowly as he forced himself to put the weight down on the badly cut right paw, to make it easier on his son. As he came to the door nothing could have prepared him for what met him. As the door slided upend and he saw the man sitting on one of the beds and the state he was in, he nearly dropped his son in shock.

Harlock, his beloved friend and master sat on the bed as doctor Zero was bandaging the captain's wrists. Lighting could see the badly burned hands and the burn mark around his master's neck. He moved quickly up to him still in shock.

"Lighting! You found him." Harlock said as he saw the wolf and took the cub from his friend and carefully looked at the wounded cub.

"This does not look good. Zero, you need to help him now. My wounds can wait." Harlock said and gave the cub to Zero. Zero took the cub and placed him down on the bed, as Harlock jumped down to make room.

"This is bad. I can't tell if his back is broken or if he has any internal bleedings." Doctor Zero said looking over the wounds first.

"I need to check his back, and run some test to check his stomach." The usually drunk doctor seemed to have sobered up, as he suddenly had a dying cub that needed his help. As the doctor hurried of to the scanners carrying the cub, Harlock called for Tochiro over his communicator watch telling him that Lighting was back and his cub was hurt. It only took Tochiro a few minutes to get down there. Lighting got even more worried as Tochiro had a bandage around his head as he was followed by Mimee. Her yellow eyes widened as she saw the wounds on Lighting.

Lighting could not hold it back any more.

"Harlock, what happened? How did you get so beat up?" His dark blue eyes shined in worry over his friend's wounds and his worry for his son. Harlock looked down at him feeling bad as he knew how worried he was for his son. He did not need to worry about him as well.

"Bounty hunters." He said growling low looking down at his hands.

"Let me finish up taking the bandages on." Mimee said trying to help. Harlock sat down on one of the beds and told Lighting about what had happened onboard the Arcadia the last three days as Lighting had been on earth looking for his son, after hearing that the family had been killed. Lighting snared to himself as Harlock finished telling. Tochiro stood next to him and knew as well that now Lighting felt torn between the worry of his son and his anger for not being there when Harlock needed him. He would probably never forgive himself for it.

"Where did you find him? What happened?" Harlock asked hoping to get some answers out of Lighting as well. The wolf sighed and told of the Doberman brothers that were killing him as he found him. He told of the fight and as he finished he could see both Harlock and Tochiro grinning a bit even as worried they were, as they heard of his son's courage.

"Like father like son.." Harlock said shaking his head a little.

Suddenly the Zero came back inn. The two men stood up and Lighting moved towards him.

"How is he?" Lighting could hardly make himself ask. The doctor laid the cub down on the bed and sighed relived. It almost seemed like he could not believe it before but as he was gonna tell them it sunk in.

"His back is not broken anywhere and he barely escaped dying. A few millimetres longer up and it would be nothing I could do." The doctor said as he got ready some shots and needle to sow his wounds. Lighting exhaled relived.

"That son of yours must have the devils luck." Tochiro said reviled. Harlock smiled and stroke a hand over the cubs head. He was much smaller than Lighting had been when he saved him from the farm, but the young cub where identical to his dad. The same black fur the same markings of lighter fur. As the doctor finished sowing and then bandaging the cub's wounds he turned to Lighting.

"He'll properly sleep through the next days as it would be best for him to do so. Keep him warm and stay close to him. If anything changes come get me." Lighting nodded feeling a little strange as this was not something the doctor would normally say. Still every one of the crew knew his son as he had been on board the Arcadia for the few days before he had left him on earth. It would not be so strange that they would be worried.

"Now lets have a look at your wounds." The doctor said and turned to the cut on his paw. Harlock, Tochiro and Mimee stayed in the room with them until Zero was done. The deepest wound on him was the wound on his leg. As zero sowed it up Lighting though to himself that he could not fail again. He had already lost his dather as his failure as a father, he nearly lost his son today and he could have lost Harlock as well.

------------------

Lighting lay down in his bed putting his son close to his stomach. He looked at his master and felt bad again as he had failed to protect him, the story Harlock had told him about the torture ring and the chuffs were going trough his head. If any one would try something like that again he would show them how fearful he could be to them. Harlock sat holding his wine glass and looked at the wolfs. Lighting had laid his head down and were almost asleep his cub resting up to him. Lighting had nearly paid the highest price any one could pay, his son's life. He knew all to well why Lighting and Angel agreed to leave him on earth for a while so that he would be safe, as they had already paid with one cub's life, their dather. Harlock sighed feeling sorry for his friend and well as he knew how worried he was for him as well. His wrists hurt pretty badly and he had taken the cloves of as it had helped the pain a bit. He sighed and rested his head back on the chair. The wound on his neck screamed in pain as he did.

Suddenly a sound came from the desk, a sound meaning that the bridge tried to get hold of him. Lighting looked up as Harlock stood up and moved over to the desk, tripping once as his wounds on the legs sometimes made the legs give in.

Pushing a few buttons, one of the crew member's face came up on the screen on the wall next to him. Harlock turned and leaned up against the desk crossing his arms across his chest.

"What is it?" He asked looking at the young pirate.

"Emeraldas is calling for you sir, would you like me to punch it through?" The pirate asked looking a bit worried. Harlock turned and looked at Lighting and the cub as he nodded slowly. Lighting looked at him sighing as he looked down on his cub again.

Right now he looked like he was sleeping peacefully, still Lighting could hear the rasping sound that came when he breathed.

The screen went dark before it lighted up again this time showing another familiar face. A fiery redhead with a similar scar to the captain looked at him with her green eyes. Harlock turned his eye to her and they looked at each other. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the bandages on Harlock's hands.

"What has happened? Did Lighting find him?" She asked wasting no time. A white wolf sat next to Emeraldas looking at Harlock with her dark blue eyes. Lighting stood up lifting his son carefully and forced his weight on the wounded paw to make his way up to Harlock more stable to the cub. Harlock took the cub from him as he sat down next to him. Harlock held the cub carefully. Emeraldas eyes seemed to widen as she saw the bandaged cub, and Angel gave out a worried whine.

"He was lucky, Angel. He'll be fine." Lighting said and smiled weakly. The dark blue eyes of the white female got filled with tears as she sighed relived.

"We are on our way to you now." Emeraldas said her voice was cold as it usually was.

"We'll be waiting for you." A familiar voice said as Tochiro came in. Emeraldas eyes seemed to soften as she saw the small man, yet her eyes narrowed seeing the bandage around his head.

"What did you two get yourself into this time?" She asked slowly. Tochiro grinned and Harlock sighed.

"Long story, old friend." He said.

"Well we'll more than enough time when we arrive." Angel said lifting an eyebrow of sorts to them. Lighting smiled seeing it, getting a little relived as it meant that she was not so worried anymore.

"Until then..." Emeraldas said and smiled as she turned of the screen. Harlock smiled to Tochiro and walked over to the dog bed as Lighting limped over there and lay down. Harlock lay the cub down carefully next to him and stroked the two wolf's over the head. Lighting smiled and lay his head down to sleep.

"What now, captain?" Tochiro grinned. Harlock turned to his friend as sat back down in his chair.

"We wait. For now I think we all need some rest." He said as he took the glass again. Tochiro grinned and sat down on the other chair.

"Still, it was a small wonder the cub was not deadly wounded. It sure did look that way." He said and filled a glass as well. Harlock looked at the cub.

"He started a fight with five grown dogs, even as he was wounded because he would not have then attack the birds for sport." He said more to himself than anything.

"Just like his dad." Tochiro said smiling. "What did his humans name him?" He asked. Lighting looked up at him, his eyes seemed sad.

"The little girl named him Wolf. But I have a feeling he does not want to be called that anymore." He said and looked at Harlock. Harlock smiled.

"Until I found your name you were only called Wolf as well." The old wolf smiled remembering back to that more happy time. Tochiro smiled.

"Well I may not he his master, and as I know he will properly get a better name when he finds his new master, but for now he needs a name that we can call him by." Tochiro said as he came up to the cub. Lighting looked at him.

"Do you have something in mind, my friend?" Harlock asked as Tochiro carefully lifted the cub up.

"Yeah, Keikai." He said. The cub seemed to move on one of his ears as he said the name.

"Keikai?" Lighting said looking at him. Tochiro nodded slowly.

"It means Vigilance in Japanese. A fitting name for him." He smiled as he lay him back down. Lighting smiled and licked over his son's face.

"Keikai. For now that will be your name. Who knows what fate has in store for you my son." He sighed and fell finally asleep.

-----------------

The Queen Emeraldas lay next to the Arcadia and the two members from the ship made their way to the other ship. Tochiro stood ready to meet them smiling ready to meet his love again. As the door opened at Emeraldas came onboard a big grin came over him. The white wolf next to her had to smile seeing him. Emeraldas bent down and gave him a hug, widening the smile on her lovers face even more.

"I'm glad to see that you came past those military ships with out trouble." Tochiro said as she let go.

"Like they could stop me, they could not even see us as you fixed the stealth devise on the Queen Emeraldas." She smiled. Tochiro could not stop smiling.

"What have happened to you? What had happened to the captain?" She asked looking more serious now. She touched the bandage around his head. Tochiro's smile disappeared.

"Let's get to the captain's room. You'll get the whole story there." Tochiro said and lead them down the halls. Passing his room Tochiro ran in and picked up something in his room. As he came out Angel noticed that he hid some thing made of metal under his cape.

Entering the captain's room, they stopped. Lighting was laying in his bed with his cub still sleeping next to him and Harlock sitting in his chair. Mimee sat on the bed and played a calming melody. Harlock stood up and smiled to his friends as they entered. Angel wasted no time and came up to her life mate. Lighting smiled and stroked his head towards hers. Her eyes turned watery as she saw down on the young cub.

"Little lighting..." She whispered as she stroked her nose down on her son's fur.

"It's okay, Angel. Zero says he will wake up today or tomorrow." He said as he stood up and let her lay down to keep her son close. Laying down next to her he rested his head on her shoulder.

"What happed to him?" she asked fighting to keep her tears back. Lighting sighed and told her the whole story. Lighting had come before any other humans had found the family and without knowing it only been a few seconds later from his son running of. He had told Angel and Harlock and set out to find his son as he could smell that he was hurt, but he had lost the trail as the sky had opened and washed away the tracks. It had taken him nearly two days following the words of other animals that had seen him like the grey cat in the ally. When he had finally made his way to the park it was the cries from the crow that had lead him to him. Telling of how he had fought the dogs and of how his son had risked his life to help him, when he was pinned down. Emeraldas seemed to pale as she heard how the wolf cub had nearly been killed. Her fists were shaking in anger.

"He was lucky, little Keikai." Tochiro said and sat down next to Mimee. Emeraldas turned and looked at him.

"Keikai?" She asked as she turned back to look at the cub again.

"The name Tochiro gave him. It means vigilance." Harlock said, breaking his silence.

"Harlock..." Emeraldas said and noticed the bandage around his neck. She came up to him and gave him a hug. He smiled as she let go and offered her a glass of wine.

"I am okay. I was a lot worse yesterday." He said as he sat down.

"What has happened?" She asked as she sat down. Mimee seemed to stop playing and her hands shook. Harlock's eye seemed to turn dark and he looked past his friends.

He stared to tell on how they had been hiding out on one of the pirate islands when Lighting had travelled back to the Earth to check on his son as he always did. As they had gotten word of his son's disappearance, Harlock had ordered The Arcadia back to Earth as he wanted to help Lighting find him. That's when they had been attacked by the bounty hunters, forcing then down on a small planet and where Harlock had been captured and tortured. Tochiro pulled out the accursed ring, as it was that he had picked up in his room, and showed it to Emeraldas. Her face nearly paled as she got to learn of how much pain it had cased her friend. Lighting were snaring where he lay and even Angel growled low. As Harlock finished his story helped out by Tochiro's inputs Emeraldas hands shook as she tried to hold her glass. She was enraged for not even knowing what her friends had been through.

"Where did they get this thing?" She asked as she hold the ring. Tochiro shook his head.

"We don't know yet. I have been checking around to find out about it and have only found out that they were being sold on the black marked of bounty hunters and other creeps." He said angry. "Witch would mean that there are more of these things out there." Tochiro finished.

"We need to be careful. This time we nearly lost Harlock. Next time we could not be so lucky as to get there in time." He said. Lighting snared angry, feeling his anger burn as he had not been there to help. Angel stroked her head up against his and silenced his growling. He stroked his head to hers and felt his anger calm down.

Suddenly the little cub moved whining once. As the others had been silent as the sound came everyone jumped to their feet. The cub opened his eyes and looked up at his mother and father. Blinking two times he whined.

"Mom? Dad?" Angel licked his face happy to see her son recognise them.

"We are here, son, we are here." She whispered to him. Lighting lay down in front of them and smiled happy. Harlock and Tochiro's eyes met and they smiled as the danger was finally over for the young cub.

"Dad, I… failed." He said low and shamefully. Lighting was surprised to hear his son say this.

"No son, from the battle I could see you did not fail to protect them. You could not have saved them. It was meant for them to die. You have not yet met the master you are destined to protect." He said stroking his head up to the cub's neck.

"I don't understand." The cub said. Lighting smiled as his son looked at him confused.

"You will son, some day." He said smiling.

"For now my little cub, rest. You are safe now." His mother said making him turn to see her. Turing back to his father he looked around.

"Is this?" He asked not really daring to say the name out loud. It made his father smile as the cub's eyes widened as Harlock came up to him and carefully lifted him up to his face. A par of dark blue eyes that he knew well looked back at his one hazel brown eye. As his father he showed no fear only honour as he recognised the man from the wanted posters from Earth.

"This would be the Arcadia, my ship, young one." The cub's eyes widened as he realised that he was really there. Tochiro laughed.

"He is a brave one, even as he is being held by, and surrounded by the sea of stars most feared pirates he does not even blink."

"Just like his parents." Emeraldas smiled. Harlock sat him back down on the bed. The cub, sitting and looking at the pirate, with stars in his eyes.

"You will be sailing under my flag now little one. Can you fight for only what is in your Heart?" Harlock asked as he looked down on the cub. The cub nodded, bringing a smile to the captain's face.

"I don't even thing he knows what that means." Tochiro laughed looking at his friend. Harlock smiled.

"I want to fight to save someone's life." The cub said looking at the captain. Lighting and Angel exchanged looks with a small smile on their lips.

"Yes I think Keikai was a good name for him." Tochiro smiled and stroked the cub's head.

"Keikai?" he asked looking at the Japanese man turning his head to one side.

"Tochiro named you that for your vigilance. It's a Japanese name." Harlock said smiling. The cub looked up at Tochiro and smiled.

"Thanks." He smiled, suddenly he was pushed over end as his mother pulled her son back to her side.

"Now little Keikai, you are gonna sleep a little more. You need to rest to get better." She said and smiled. Lighting smiled where he lay next to them. His friends took up their glasses and offered a toast to the young cub's luck and hoped for his wellbeing in the future. Angel told her son the names of the pirates and who they were but suddenly found her son sound asleep again with a smile on his lips. She looked to her mate that smiled and lay next to her and the both of them fell asleep feeling safe for the first time since their son's disappearance.

**Author's note**

**Okay second chapter is up and now we are getting somewhere.**

**Hopefully I'll just have one more to write on this one.**

**Thanks to Gemini as she came with the name Keikai. It will be his name until young Harlock comes onboard the Arcadia and renames him Fang as the young cub wants to protect him. But you need to read the Youth in Arcadia by Gemini for that part. As well I bind this up to the Hunter's prey story I have out as well and this acts like a beginning for my story unbreakable will of love as well.**

**Feel free to tell me how I did on this one.**

**Lightingtooth**


	3. Chapter 3

After Keikai had waken up, Lighting and Angel had traded on staying with him. That way they could also hold an eye on their masters. Harlock's wounds were healing but it would still take months before they would be gone and only scars.

Lighting were sleeping in his bed at the captain's room with his son.

"Dad!" Lighting heard his son call and felt a sudden nudge on his head.

"Dad!" Lighting lifted his head up and looked at his son.

"Dad, I have to go." Keikai looked at him with his blue eyes.

"Go? Go where? Oh go." Lighting yawned. He smiled to his son and stood up. He picked his son up holding over his back again.

"Dad, I want to go myself. Please dad?" Keikai asked looking up at him. Lighting sighed and put him back down on the floor.

"Are you sure? You know you shouldn't.." He said looking at his son worried.

"The wounds aren't bothering me, dad. I cant even feel them." The cub smiled and run around after his tail once to prove it. Lighting took one of his paws and flipped his son carefully over to stop him. He smiled as his son laughed were he lay on his back between his father's paws.

"Aright little one. Let's go." He said and let his son up and moved to the door. Keikai followed more eager than ever. This was the first time he would get to see more than the captain's room. Lighting lead the way with his son walking next to him. Keikai looked around with his blue eyes wide eyed. He suddenly stopped and turned his ears down towards the hall further down. Lighting smiled as he turned his ears to listen as well. To the cub's ears it was a strange sound. It reminded him of yelling as he had been yelled at before, but it sounded more happy. He had never heard anything like it.

"What is that?" He asked and looked up at his dad before he turned back to the hall listening intensely. Lighting smiled.

"Just the crew, you'll see later." He said, looking down at his son. Keikai moved down the hall to see.

"I thought you had to go?" He smiled and looked down at his son. Keikai stopped suddenly and looked at his dad.

"Yeah." He followed his dad but he was still curious on the sound.

"Here we are. Go ahead." His father suddenly stopped in front of a door that slided open.

"Be careful, let me know if you need some help." He said. Keikai nodded and moved in. The door closed behind him and Lighting stood outside smiling as he shook his head.

_He is my son aright. Refusing to feel his wounds at all._ He listened to the voices from the crew.

The door slided open and Keikai came out.

"Aright?" He asked. Keikai nodded but looked at his father. It seemed like something was bothering him. Lighting was gonna ask him about it when Keikai asked.

"Dad, could you show me around a bit?" Lighting looked at him, his face worried.

"Please dad? I feel good. I want to see more of the ship, dad." Lighting sighed. His son looked at him begging in his eyes.

"You know, your mother is gonna kill me?" He asked with a faint smile. His son lighted up as he heard that.

"I wont tell, I promise." He called out and jumped up and down. Lighting laughed.

"I am sure, but let me know if you get tired or something. Don't push yourself to far. We of our kind have a tendency to do that. Myself included." He smiled as they started to walk down the hall.

"I will, dad." Keikai smiled and looked around. As they finally passed the corner where the sound came from, Keikai was surprised to see the crew of the ship. Most of the crew were sitting on the floor and someone was sleeping on small futons on the floor. As Lighting and Keikai moved through the hall avoiding the card players and those sleeping, Keikai noticed at some of them looked at them smiling.

"Hey Lighting-san, your son?"

"He is cute."

"I'm sure he is as deadly as his father." The pirates said as they passed them. Lighting smiled as he passed them. Keikai looked confused on them but was glad to hear them say things like that.

"And if he is not now he will be."

"Yeah, he is after all the son of Lightingtooth and Angel. The two most dangerous wolf's in the whole sea of stars."

"I get chills just thinking of how dangerous that little cub will be. The human that he chooses as his master will be well protected."

"Yeah." The pirates kept on talking even as they had passed them. Lighting smiled and moved on down the hall. Keikai was silent walking next to his father.

"Don't worry, the time for that will come." Lighting said seeing the look on his son's face.

"I had to wait before Harlock came into my life, and your mother met Emeraldas long after Emeraldas had made her way into the sea of stars. I have a strong feeling that soon the one that you are gonna protect is on his way here. Somehow I just feel it. It reminds me of the feeling I had a few days before Harlock showed up at the farm." He said stopping and sat down. The hall was empty and his fathers voice seemed to echo in the hall. Keikai sat down.

"Are you sure, dad?" He looked confused and sad.

Lighting took his paw and drew him closer.

"Trust me. He or she will come around, someday, and then you will not fail. So you must be ready." Keikai smiled faintly and nodded.

"I will dad, I will, I kan kinda feel it as well." He said and stood up and moved on down the hall smiling to himself. As he was just about to enterer into the other hall something back blasted past him in a cloud of black feathers and screams. Keikai backed up as a knife cut of a couple of his whiskers.

"Dad!" He cried as he backed up so fast that he landed on his back. Lighting jumped up to him and checked on his son.

"You okay?" Keikai nodded as he pulled himself up, but he was obviously in a state of shock. Lighting looked at the knife and shook his head. Suddenly a new knife came flying towards him as his head were out in the hall.

"Dad!" Keikai called as he saw the knife and his father getting struck. Lighting turned and held the knife in his fangs. Keikai looked at him surprised. Suddenly there were footsteps coming their way. An elder lady dressed in green and black bouts.

"Where did that bag of feathers go now?" She growled.

"You are be the death of someone, Matsu." Lighting shook his head looking at the elder lady apparently surprising her.

"This time you nearly took my head of as well as taking my son's whiskers." He said as his son come up to him again. The elder lady hid the knifes behind her back.

"Ah Lighting-san. I did not see you, I thought it was that thieving bird again. If I get my hands on him..." She seemed angry again.

"You'll barbecue him. I know. Still if you don't stop throwing those knifes around, some day you'll throw them at the captain, mistaking his cape for Tori-san." He laughed. Keikai chuckled seeing that incident at his inner eye. Matsu seemed to pale as he had a good point.

"Keikai, this is miss Matsu, our chef. If you ever get hungry she is the one to see." Lighting smiled looking to his son. Keikai nodded to the elder lady.

"Ah so you are finally up and wandering. I hope you can forgive me for taking your whiskers." She said and looked at him. Keikai smiled and nodded.

"By the way, you wont give me any trouble with the food, right? I wont hear I don't like this or that, from you will I?" She said and waved a knife in front of Keikai. The cub backed up looking scared while shaking his head. It seemed to bring a smile on the face of the old lady.

"Ah, good. Well I should get back to the..." She stared to say when suddenly all three of them could hear a sound coming from the canteen.

"That blasted cat is at it again!" She screamed as she ran down the hall. The two wolfs could hear the sound of a cat running holding on to something heavy.

"Mii-kun steals sake for doctor Zero from time to time." Lighting smiled and moved on down the hall.

"I am not sure I want to eat there, dad." Keikai said looking at his dad worried. Lighting laughed out.

"Hehe, you don't have to be afraid of her... Not as long as you don't steal from her. Only then you need to be afraid." He smiled and nudged his son. Keikai laughed.

"No worries, dad. I wont do that ever. I have all ready lost my whiskers. That is enough for me, I don't want to lose my fur as well." He said bringing a big smile to his dad's face. A new sound made the both of them turn to one of the doors on the side.

"Dad, Mimee." Keikai smiled and ran to the door. As the door slided open the two wolfs made their way in. Keikai ran up to the strange Jura woman. Her yellow eyes smiled as she carefully lifted up the cub and sat him in her bed.

"The little prince of the wolfs are up and around today is he?" She asked petting him gently over the head, as Lighting came up to them.

"Prince?" Keikai asked looking at her. Again her eyes smiled. Lighting sat down and smiled as well. She took up a bottle and nearly took the whole thing in one sip. putting the bottle down she suddenly gave out a small hiccup and she shined up in a yellow light. Keikai looked at her confused. Lighting laughed seeing the look on his face.

"She does that from time to time. I think we should leave you alone for now Mimee. come on, little prince." He smiled as he stood up again and stared to walk out.

"Wait up, dad!" Keikai called and jumped down from the bed and followed his dad.

"Are you getting tired?" Lighting asked as they kept coming down the hall. Keikai shook his head.

"Far from it, dad." Lighting smiled hearing this and kept going down the hall. Suddenly Keikai walked strait into a orange and brown striped cat. The cat was not much bigger than Keikai.

"Oh, sorry. Did not see you." Keikai apologised. The cat looked at him for a few seconds before he suddenly spoke.

"I am not here. You did not see me." Keikai was confused at this. Lighting shook his head.

"What did you steal this time Mii-kun?" He asked. The cat looked at the grown wolf offended.

"I did not steal anything... Not much any way. It was just a piece of fish. Nothing much." Mii-kun said looking at him. Lighting sighed.

"Tochiro said something about wanting a slice of bread with fish." He looked at the cat.

"You did not steal Tochiro's fish did you?" Keikai asked shocked, not believing that anyone would dare take fish from Tochiro, The captains friend. The cat looked offended.

"Off cause not. It was not his yet. It was still in the kitchen." Mii-kun said.

"I don't even know why she is after me, it was just a bit of fish."

Suddenly there were a new sound booming over the ship. An alarm that made the crew of the ship suddenly run around to their places.

"What now?" The cat growled.

"I don't like this. Sorry Keikai." Lighting said and grabbed his son over the back, lifting him up as he ran down the hall.

"Where are we going, dad?" Keikai asked as he realised that they were not heading to the captain's room.

_"To the battle bridge. Something is up and I don't like this, not one bit."_ His mind speak was clear and also clearly worried. Keikai found out it would be best to remain quiet. As they came into the elevator Lighting let him down.

"Listen, I don't know what is going on, so for now I want you to remain quiet and wait." He said and looked at his son seriously. Keikai nodded.

"I wont get in the way, dad." Lighting smiled and nudged his son.

"Good boy." He said as his son smiled widely. He had never been on the Arcadia's battle bridge before. As they came trough the two doors he had never exepeked it to be so big. Captain Harlock stood by the window, and gave them a quick look as they entered. Emeraldas stood next to him with Tochiro at her right side and Angel at her left. Angel looked at him worried as she saw Keikai wander around with stars in his eyes.

"Lighting..." She said as her mate came up to them.

"Don't worry, he is fine." He said before she could say anything.

"What is up?" Lighting asked looking up at Harlock.

"We just picked up a distress signal coming from the 999. It seems that there are some bandits trying to get Maetel, don't know why yet." Harlock said looking worried.

"Not really to strange with her being a princess, they will probably demand money for her." Tochiro sighed.

Tthose cowards. They have her pined down in one of the wagons." Emeraldas growled.

"What about Firefly? Is she not with her this time?" Lighting asked being worried for his friend Maetel as well as his clan member.

"She is there but she is fighting in the next wagon trying to hold the bandits of." Angel said also worried.

The black bird sat on the captain's chair and looked down at Keikai that listened intensely to the pirates.

"You should take it easy little one." He suddenly spoke, making the young cub turn.

"They'll figure out how to save them. Don't you worry." He flapped his big black wings.

"Hey, you'r the one I saw in the hall. Are you Tori-san? the thieving bird?" Keikai asked in the animal language.

"Hey! I resent that. I only take a little food. That's all." The bird flapped his wings angry. Keikai smiled

"Okay okay, keep your feathers on please." He grinned to the bird. Lighting turned and looked at his son smiling for a moment, as he had heard the two talking. Turning back to the others, his face turned back to stone.

"Well we'll need to help them some way. These bandits have only given us problems so far." Tochiro said crossing his arms under the cape.

"How ever we are gonna do it we still need to let Maetel know we are coming and what we are gonna do." Lighting said making the others nod.

"Still how are we gonna that? We need some one what can get in with out being seen." Tochiro said looking more grim.

"I can do it!" Keikai suddenly came up to them.

"Keikai!" Angel said looking worried. The three Pirates looked at him.

"Don't worry, mom. I can do this. I am small and quick. They wont even notice I am there. Someone has to deliver the message right?" He looked at his mother before turning his look up at Harlock, Emeraldas and Tochiro.

"But your wounds?" Angel said and moved up to him stroking her head to his.

"Aren't bothering me at all. I can do this and I'll stay out of danger mom, Please let me do this." He whimpered to his mother, begging for a chance.

"Alright, but stay safe." She said feeling not good about this at all. "Lets get down to doctor Zero, and have him change the bandages to someone that gives you moveability." She said and followed him out. The cub shined up getting his mothers approval. Something that made all three of the pirates smile and think about how their own mothers had let them go to live their own lifes. As they left Harlock, Emeraldas Tochiro and Lighting planed how they were gonna attack the bandits. All agreeing to Harlock and Lighting staying on the Arcadia, as both of them were hurt and it would best if they stayed as back up.

--------------------------

Lighting met Angel and Keikai as they came out from Zero. Keikai had now only bandage around his neck and his stomach as the wound on his hip were nearly healed. Lighting nodded and Angel wished her son luck and left to the Queen Emeraldas as Emeraldas was waiting to take off. Lighting lead his son on down the hall.

"The Arcadia will strike first, and land next to the train, as we will laugh you trough one of the boarding tubes. It will take you strait into the train. From there you will have to move down trough two wagons. At the third you should find a lady with blond hair and dressed in black. Their will also be a young child travelling with her. Tell Maetel, the black dressed lady, what I said to you and she will keep you safe. Did you get all that?" He asked as he stopped and looked at his son. Keikai nodded.

"I got it dad. I just hope I don't fail again." He said looking bothered again. Lighting took his paw over his back.

"You wont. I can promise you that you wont. Stay safe, and be careful." He said as they could feel the ship turning next to the train. As the final sound of the tub landing on the other side Lighting nudged his son in to the tube.

"Be careful, son." He said as his son disapperd down the tube. As the opening closed on his side, Lighting sighed wondering if he had sent his son to the grave. He ran back up to the bridge fearing that he had.

------------------------

As Keikai stood on the small triangle travelig down the tube he wondered if he really could do this. He saw the little girl get hit over and over in his head. Shaking his head he relised that he could not think about it now.

"Just deliver the message. That is all I have to do." He said to himself as he saw the end of the tube closing in. As the other end opend he jumped carefully out and moved away as the tube was pulled out of the train. He stood inside a metal wagon and looked first to his rigth.

"No not that way, Seemes more like the engine rom or something." He said to himself and he turned to his left, and walked carefully towards the door. As he came up to it he relised that he was way to little to open any doors and this one was not even close to the doors on board the Arcadia, That he had seen his dad open. Still he had a job to do and he jumped up and tried to bite hold of the handle. Failing a couple of times he tried to he got it. Hanging from the handle he tried to open the door but it would not budge. He snarred angry as he tried to use his claws as well. Suddenly there were a sound on the other side of the door and suddenly the door staredt to open. Keikai let go but landed to hard on his feet, feeling his wounds burn up in pain again. To the cub surprice a man came out. He was dressed in a long blue jacket with golden buttons and egde and a red brim. He also had white clowes on and a large blue hat on his head. He had a white band with the numbers 999 on it writen in yellow. The only thing of his face Keikai could see was the yellow eyes that looked down on him. Keikai backed of a bit not sure what to do.

"Oh great, so if bandits and even Harlock himself showing up wasent bad enough now there is a lose cub on the train." The man said and tried to pick him up. Keikai backed of and ran between his legs running to the other side of the wagon.

"Hey come back here, there is bandits in there!" The strange man called and came after him. As Keikai moved away from him again the man manged to get hold in his tail.

"Easy, easy little one. You are hurt. Relax, I wont hurt you. I am the conductor of the 999, you must belong to one of the other passagers rigth?" The man said as he picked him up. Keikai relised that he wold not get any where with being quiet.

"Not really, Harlock sendt me over here." The condutor dropped him in pure shock of the cub talking. He landed hard on the floor, but bit the pain in refusing to give in to it.

"What the? You are like Firefly then?" He asked and looked down at the cub.

"Firefly is a friend of dad and mum." Keikai smiled.

"and who are you perants then?" The conductor asked.

"Ligthingtooth and Angel." Keikai said looking at him. The condutor seemed to pale hearing those names.

"Dad sent me over here to tell Meatel what Harlock and Emeraldas planed to help you." Keikai said.

"Harlock and Emeraldas?" His face paled even more.

"Please sir, I need to get to Maetel." Keikai asked.

"It's no way you are gonna make it. Just pass this door the bandits are trying to get past Firefly. So far they cant but.." The conductor shook his head.

"Please sir. Just open the door for me. I cant do that, and I need to get to her." Keikai said worried. The conductor sighed and moved over to the door.

"Okay little one. Just be careful. I am worried for miss Maetel myself." The cub nodded. The conductor opend the first door and lead him out to the other one. Keikai got ready. As the conductor slowly opened the door, Keikai snuck down under one of the seats and looked to the group of bandits shoting towards the other end of the wagon.

"What the hell? Just shot the damn beast already!" One of the bandits yelled. None of them notised the black shadow that snuck from seat to seat. Suddenly something brown stoped infront of him and he could smell the sent of blood. The other wolf lay down and gasped for air. She suddenly turned and looked strait at him. A pair of dark blue eyes looked strait at him and he also notised that she had three small strait scars over her rigth cheek.

"What?" She asked looking at him. He crawled out from under the seat and looked at her. She looked a lot like his mother but her fur was fire brown and she had different marking of ligther brown fur as well.

"Are you Firefly?" Keikai asked looking a little worried as he saw the wounds on her.

"I am, and dont worry about me. You must be Ligthing's son. I can see it in your eyes." She smiled and got back up.

"Yeah, Tochiro named me Keikai for now." He smiled.

"Stay here Keikai." She suddenly said and jumped over a bandit that came towards them to see if they had killed her. As both she and the bandit fell she ripped open his trouth and got back to the cub before the other ones could shot her.

"Ligthing sent you here?" She asked looking at him. Keikai nodded.

"Dad wantet me to tell Maetel that Harlock and Emeraldas are coming to help. They are waiting for me to tell her." He sighed and looked to the next door. "I think I got a little lost." He said and looked up on the grown wolf.

"Dont worry. Maetel is rigth behind that door. Here I'll open the door for you. You run in wile I keep thise guys at bay." Firefly smiled and looked to the bandits.

"Ready?" She asked as the cub came up to her.

"Yeah." Keikai said and got ready.

"Go!" She said and ran to the door, tearing it open. As the door opend Keikai moved into the hall as Firefly slamed the door shut behind him and attaced the bandits again. Keikai could hear the struggle from the wagon but moved on to the other door. As he had seen how Firefly had opend the door, he jumped up and maged to get a small opening, just big enougth for him. As he looked in a laser bullet just nearly passed his head. He desided not to let them get another shot at it and ran and hid under one of the seats again.

"Where did it go?" A young voice asked. Keikai moved closer to the voice when he nearly ran strait into a black rope. Backing up he relised that a young beutyfull lady in a black dress and hatt were sitting there. She did not look well at all. Thats when his nose picked up the sent of blood coming from her.

"Maetel-san?" He whinded and carefully nugded his nose into her arm trying to get a reaction.

"Hey! Get away from her!" The voice from before called. A young girl showed up pointed a gun to him. She was dressed in a simple green dress and had short brown hair. Her green blue eyes looked at him scared. Keikai remeberd that his dad had said that Maetel was travelig with a young person.

"Wait, I am a friend. my name is Keikai. I mean no harm." He said before she suddenly blasted of a shot. He jumped to the side and jumped over her like he had seen Firefly do to the bandits only he did not bite her. As both of them fell, he landed standing ontop of her, as she landed on her back.

"Easy! I came to help you. I was sent her with a message to Maetel-san." He snarred as he was worried now. The young girl stoped to struggle and looked at him.

"Maetel-sis is hurt, and wont answer me. What is the use of your message then." She cursed. Keikei got down from her and moved up to Maetel

"Maetel-san?" He asked and carefully licked her face. She did not move and the young girl sat down crying.

_"What sould I do now dad?" _He thougth to himself.

_"What's wrong, son?"_ Ligthings voice suddenly said in his head, making the young wolf jump in shock.

_"Dad can you hear me?"_ He asked both out loud as well as in his head. The young girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

_"I guess I never came around to tell you about the mind speak."_ His fathers voice laughed in his head.

_"As long as you aim your mind at someone, you will be able to talk to them inside their head. Now tell me, what has happend?"_ Ligthings voice went from glad to serious. Keikai told him of what had happened as he had come on board the train.

_"Ask her what happend."_ He said as his son finished telling.

"What happend to Maetel-san? What is your name?" Keikai asked and dried some of the young girls tears with his nose. She looked at him tearful.

"My name is Kaya. I have been travelig with Maetel-sis for a while now. The bandits shot her as she tired to protect me when they came into the wagon. Firefly-san jumped at them and forced them back into the other wagon after Maetel-sis where hurt." She cried.

"Don't worry. Dad and the others are coming. They'll help her." Keikei said and told his dad of what had happend.

_"Dont worry, son. Emeraldas and Angel is already on board and is coming strait for you now."_ His fathers voice er relaxed and kind.

"Emeraldas is almost here. Her and mom is gonna take care of the bandits." He smiled to her and nuged her arm with his nose.

"Who are you?" She asked looking at the cub.

"I an called Keikai, son of Ligthingtooth and Angel." He smiled proud. It broth a kind smile to her face.

Suddenly there where a sound coming from the other wagon where the bandits were. Keikai turned to the door and his fur stood stratit up at his back as he growled angry towards the door. Kaya took her gun and aimed it at the door.

"Dont shot before I tell you. It could be Emeraldas and mom." He whispered to her. Kaya nodded slowly. As the door slowly opened both of them were ready to figth. In through the door Emeraldas and Angel stepped followed closely by Firefly.

"Keikai.." Angel smiled glad to see her son alrigth.

"Kaya! Are you hurt? Is Maetel okey?" Firefly asked looking at her. Kaya looked at Emeraldas wideeyed before she looked to Firefly, her eyes turned tearfilled again. Angel and Emeraldas looked to each other for a secound.

"Maetel, where is she?" Emeraldas nearly ordered.

"Here." Keikai said and showed them to where Maetel sat still. Emeraldas looked over her wounds, after moving her to a seat. For a few secounds there were a death silense in the room.

"She will be okey. She was not badly hurt." Emeraldas suddenly said with a sigh of relive. Angel sighed and looked as Keikai moved up to Kaya.

"See, told you it would be okey." He smiled to her. Kaya's eyes were tearfilled but she held her tears back.

"Thank you..." She whispered. Firefly smiled.

"You must be proud of your son, Angel." She smiled as she looked to her leader. Angel nodded smiling looking at her son.

Suddenly Maetel moved and came back to herself.

"Maetel!" They called as she opend her eyes.

"Rest easy, Maetel." Emeraldas said holding her friend down as she tried to sitt up.

"Emeraldas!" Maetel said as she saw her friend.

"Maetel-sis! Are you okay?" Kaya came up to her with Firefly. Maetel looked in her tearfilled eyes, and nodded. Firefly sighed relived. Angel stood next to Keikai and smiled looking at them.

"Oy! You okey in there?" A familiar voice called from Emeraldas wrist. Emeraldas smiled as she looked at the comuicater watch.

"Every one is okay, Tochiro. Maetel and Firefly is only lighter hurt." She said and looked at Maetel.

"good." Tochiro sounded so glad.

"Is the conductor hurt?" Keikai suddenly asked as he suddenly remebered.

"He is fine." Firefly said laughing. "I saw him hiding in the bathroom."

"The bandits?" Maetel said looking at Emeraldas.

"Taken care of. Harlock shot them down as they tried to flee." She said looking cold.

"You should bring Maetel and Firefly on board the Arcadia. Doctor Zero is on stand by." Tochiro said getting a nood from the pirate queen.

"Will do." Emeraldas said looking to her friends.

-------------------------

A while later Harlock, Emeraldas, Tochiro, Maetel, Kaya and the four wolfs stood in the captain's room on board the Arcadia. Mimee had given every one a glass of wine and they were now toasting to their victory.

Keikai sat proud next to his perants and smiled.

"You did great today, son." Ligthing said and looked down at him. The young wolf's face shined up.

"We are proud of you." Angel said smiling. Keikai smiled and looked over to Maetel and Kaya.

"If it werent for you, they could have been killed." Firefly said bowing her head a little.

"Thank you." She said. Keikei did not know what to say. Ligthing smiled and gave his son a small nugde in the back.

"I think Maetel wants to thank you as well." He smilied. Keikei moved slowly over to where Maetel and Kaya stood. Ligthing smiled and looked to Angel.

"He will be a great warrior. He so quicly took up on how to open the doors as well as Kaya told me that he used the same techince as I used to kill a bandit that he saw..." Firefly said and looked at the young son before turing to her leaders.

"He will make a great leader some day." She smiled. Angel smiled and Ligthing nooded.

"Still he will have to learn how to figth for his own master." Angel sighed. Ligthing turned to her and stroked his head to hers.

"I will train him. He will learn every techince I can." He looked serious and looked to Harlock and his wounds. "We cant fail again." He said cold. Angel nodded, and Firefly could not hide a small smile coming to her lips.

"Are you okey?" Keikai asked looking to kaya. She stood alone looking at Maetel. She looked down to him and smiled.

"Thank you so much. I thought Maetel-sis was dead." She whispered as she lifted him up. Keikei licked away the few tears that started to fall.

"Your welcome. I am just glad I got there in time." He smiled.

Harlock looked at them with a kind look in his eyes.

"What happened to you? That lookes like a bad wound, Harlock." Maetel said and looked to Harlock's bandage around his neck. Ligthing and his friends made their way up to them.

"Bounty hunters did it. They used this..." Tochiro said and showed her the ring. Maetel took it and looked at it for a long time not saying anything. Ligthing looked at her narrowing his eyes.

"Do you know anything about it?" Ligthing asked suddenly. Maetel shook her head.

"I seen something like it before, I just can't remeber where." She said. Ligthing sighed, relising that he had come to a dead end.

"Ethier way it would seem that some one is targeting you." Firefly said.

"First Harlock and then Maetel-san. The bandits were to well orginised to just be after Maetel for the money they could get for her." Her dark blue eyes darkened even more. The pirates all nodded to this.

"We'll need to be on our gard. If some one is truly targeting us then we'll need to keep our contact to a minimun. Only contact each other if there is no other way out." Harlock said coldly. Emeraldas nodded.

"I heard something about a bandit crew getting hired by someone from Titan. Me and Angel will head there. We'll let you know if we find something." She said.

"Well I'll give you the same tracker that Harlock has and also make the Queen Emeraldas able to pick up the signal, just in case." Tochiro grinned. Emeraldas smiled looking down on him.

"Thank you." She smiled making the small engineer blush. That broth the first real smile to every one even as a new apperent threath hang over them.

**Author's note:**

**Okay so this was the finishing chapter of Pride of a son, the story that broth Ligthingtooths son on board the Arcadia and thereby leading him to Harlock's son young Harlock, in Gemini's story Youth in Arcadia. This one also leads up to my story Unbreakeble Will of love as well.**

**Hope you liked it and that it made sence in a way, and sorry of the erros.**

**Feel free to tell me how I did.**


End file.
